Game-board.



No. 643,808. Patented Feb. 20, I900. F. A. BREWER, 1R. & F. HAYES.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK AUGUSTUS BREWER, JR, ANIIFRED HAYES, OF WATSONVILLE,

, CALIFORNIA.

cAME-eoAEo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,808, dated February 20, 1906.

Application filed June 30, 1899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK AUGUSTUS BREWER, J r., and FEED HAYES, citizens of the United States, residing at Watsonville, in the county of Santa Cruz and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Game-Boards; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of'the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to game-boards, and more particularly to an improved board or chart for playing a game in imitation of a base-ball game.

The invention consists of a board or chart bearing a diagram of a base-ball field or ground, together with the positions of the players and certain peculiar divisions and subdivisions containing directions and guides for players, as hereinafter fully described.

The invention also consists in a revoluble index-pointer of novel'construction in combination with a pivot of special form.

The characteristic features of the invention and its details of construction will be fully described hereinafter and defined in the appended claims, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved board or chart. Fig. 2 shows the checkers or men employed in the game. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the revoluble pointers'employed, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of the pointers and its pivot.

The reference-numeral 1 designates the outline of the diamond, which describes the path of the player in running bases. Adjacent to the home-plate 2 is a circle 3, divided by a series of radial lines into anumber of subdivisions. The subdivided space immediately in rear of the home-plate 2 is marked Foul to catcher, and on either side of this space is a narrow space marked Hit by ball. Adjoining the latter spaces on each side is an Serial No. 72 2,445. (No model.)

extended subdivision 4, designated Missed the ball." The space between the two spaces 4 is subdivided into a number of small radial divisions each bearing a distinct designation, as shown, as 1 base hit, Foul to 3d base, &c.

At the angles 5, 6, and 7 of the diamond are the designations 1st base, 2nd base, and 3rd base, respectively, and in rear of each of these bases is a circle 8, representing the basemen, each subdivided into three divisions,designated Out, Error, and Assist, respectively. The location of each of the other players, except the pitcher, is designated by a circle subdivided by radial lines into three divisions, marked Out, Error, and Assist, respectively. The circle 9, designating the catcher, has an additional subdivision 10, marked Pass ball.

The pitcher is represented by two circles, designated 11 and 11", the former being subdivided into two large spaces,marked, respectively, Strike and Ball, and a small space, marked Wild pitch, and the latter into three equal spaces, marked Out, Error, and Assist.

Behind the pitchers circle 11 is a circle divided into two equal spaces, marked Out and Safe, respectively, and designated as the Umpire.

At the center of each of the several circles is located a pivot comprising a sleeve 13, a headed pin 14, extending through the sleeve and entering the board, and a washer 15. Upon each of the pivots is secured a pointer 16, having an opening 17 through which the pin 14 passes. The washer 15 is interposed between the top of the sleeve 13 and the pointer.

The pointers are preferably formed from sheet metal, which is bent upon itself at both ends to form a pointed end 18 and a handle or finger-piece 19, and leaving a'fiat central portion 20, which constitutes the bearing-surface of the pointer. A rubber tube or sleeve is fitted over the finger-piece 19, the flattened enlarged end 21 of said finger-piece acting to retain the sleeve in position after it has been stretched over the finger-piece. The rubber tubular cover serves as a convenient yielding striking-surface in spinning the pointer, preposition at which the pointer venting injury to the finger or finger-nail when the latter strikes the pointer.

It will be noted that the sleeve of the pivot supports the pointer above the surface of the board,thus preventing wearing-contact therewith, as would be the case if the pointer rested upon the board. It will also be observed that the pointers are bent slightly downward at their centers,th us bringing their pointed ends close to the surface of the board, butwithout contact therewith, while their finger-pieces are above the surface a sufficient distance to enable them to be easily struck.

The manner of playing the game will be understood from the following explanation: The game is played by two persons, a fielder and a batsman. There are eighteen checks employed in the game, each player using nine, differing in color from the other nine. It is designed that the game will be played alternately by opposite players. The pointer representing the pitcher is first twirled and the stops will indicate whether the ball is a good ball-that is, one at which the batteris supposed to strikea bad ball, technically called a ball, or a wild pitch. If the pointer stops on the space marked Strike, the pointer representing the batter is twirled and the space at which this pointer stops will determine the next play. We will assume that the pointer stops at the space marked Hit to short. The pointer representing-the short-stop is then twirled. If the short-stop pointer stops on Error, the batter places one of his checks at first base, indicating that he has reached that base. The pitchers pointer is again twirled, and the various movements of the checks depend upon the result of the spinning of the pointers. The playing of the game is thus carried on in exact imitation of the regular base-ball game, as will be fully understood by those familiar with the rules of that game.

A characteristic of the invention is that the result of a hit by the batsman is not determined by his pointer alone, but by the work of the fielder, as represented by his pointer, just as in the regular game of ball.

A further important feature of the invention is that the subdivisions, particularly those of the batsmans circle, are so relatively proportioned that the result of the twirling of the pointers closely approximates in its chances the regular game of which it is an imitation. For example, the spaces on the batsmans circle marked Missed the ball take up approximately half of the circle, making the chance of the pointer stopping on said spaces much greater than if all of the spaces on said circle were equal. On the other hand, the 2 base hit spaces, &c.,are proportionately narrow, which make the result of the play more nearly approach the real game, as it is well known that a batter is much more likely to miss the ball than to make a two or three base hit. Again,the catchers circle contains a very narrow pass ball space in proportion to the out and assist spaces, which is in keeping with the ordinary game, since pass balls are very infrequent in a professional game of base-ball.

In connection with the board We employ score-cards (one for each side) located preferabl y, as shown, in rear of the spaces marked Coach line. lVe also employ an index 22 for innings, strikes, and balls.

While we have not in the above description followed out the various possible moves of the checks, the description, itis believed, will be suiiiciently clear to those familiar with-the game, and it is proposed to publish a complete series of rules for the guidance of players.

We claim 1. Agame board or chart, containing a diagram of a base-ball ground or field, with a circle representing each of the players, said circles being subdivided into radial spaces, the width of which is proportioned with relation to the usual chances of the game of base-ball, and which contain Words or characters directing the subsequent move or play, in combination with pivoted pointers adapted to be spun or twirled, each of said pointers being provided at one end with a yielding tube or cover.

2. The combination with a game board or chart containing subdivided circles, of a pointer provided with ayielding tube or cover at one end, and bent downwardly near its center, and means for pivotally supporting the pointer above the surface of the board.

3. The combination with a game-board, of a revoluble pointer made from sheet metal bent upon itself to form a point and having a fiat central perforated bearing portion, and an enlarged flattened end, and a sleeve or tube of rubber adapted to be held in place by the enlarged end.

In testimony whereof we aliix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

L. D. HoLBRooK, J. F. AsToN. 

